at Bassaro, leaving the rest of our Men to buy Rice, and load the larger Vessel back to their Comrades, which they promis’d to do; but how far they perform’d I know not.
We were thirteen of us that went on Shore here; from whence we hir’d a kind of Barge, or rather a Bark, which, after much Difficulty, and very unhandy Doings of the Men who we had hir’d, brought us to Babylon, or Bagdat, as it is now call’d.
Our Treasure was so great, that if it had been known what we had about us, I am of Opinion we should never have troubl’d Europe with our Company: However, we gat safe to Babylon or Bagdat, where we kept ourselves Incog for a while, took a House by ourselves, and lay four or five Days still, till we had got Vests and long Gowns made to appear Abroad in as Armenian Merchants. After we had got Cloaths, and look’d like other People, we began to appear Abroad; and I, that from the Beginning had meditated my Escape by myself, began now to put it into Practice; and, walking one Morning upon the Bank of the River Euphrates, I mus’d with myself what Course I should take to make off, and get quite away from the Gang, and let them not so much as suspect me.
While I was walking here, comes up one of my Comrades, and one who I always took for my particular Friend: I know what you are employ’d in, said he, while you seem only to be musing, and refreshing yourself with the cool Breeze. Why, said I, what am I musing about? Why, said he, you are studying how you should get away from us; but, muse upon it as long as you will, says he, you shall never go without me, for I am resolv’d
to go with you which Way soever you take. ’Tis true, says I, I was musing which Way I should go, but not which Way I should go without you; for tho’ I would be willing to part Company, yet you cannot think I would go alone; and you know I have chosen you out from all the Company to be the Partner of all my Adventures.
Very well, says he, but I am to tell you now, that it is not only necessary that we should not go all together; but, our Men have all concluded, that we should make our Escape every one for himself, and should separate as we could; so that you need make no Secret of your Design any more than of the Way you intend to take.
I was glad enough of this News, and it made me very easy in the Preparations we made for our setting out: And, the first Thing we did, was, to get us more Cloaths, having some made of one Fashion, some of another; but, my Friend and I, who resolv’d to keep together, made us Cloaths after the Fashion of the Armenian Merchants, whose Country we pretended to travel through.
In the mean Time, five of our Men dress’d like Merchants; and, laying out their Money in Raw Silk, and Wrought Silks, and other Goods of the Country, proper for Europe, (in which they were directed by an English Merchant there) resolv’d to take the usual Rout, and travel by the Caravans from Babylon to Alleppo, and so to Scanderoon, and we staid and saw them and their Bales go off in Boats for a great Town on the Euphrates, where the Caravans begin to take up the Passengers; the other six divided themselves, one Half of them went for Agra, the Country of the Great
Mogul, resolving to go down the River Hoogly to Bengal; but whither they went afterward or what Course they took, I never knew, neither whether they really went at all or not.
The other three went by Sea, in a Persian Vessel, back from the Red Sea to the Gulf of Mocca, and I heard of them all three at Marseilles; but whither they went afterwards I never knew, nor could I come to speak with them even there.